Genine Murray English 1201 Professor Jones 19 March 2014

Stand Your Ground Law

first !eca"e interested in the #stand your ground$ law when started watching the George %i""er"an trial on tele&ision' %i""er"an was accused of (illing a young )frican )"erican teenager* +ray&on Martin' ,atching the trial- it !affled "e that %i""er"an clai"ed to shoot this young "an in self*defense when- in fact- there was no gun found in Martin.s /ossession' +he case further intrigued "e when %i""er"an was found not guilty of co""itting a cri"e due to the 0lorida #stand your ground$ law' )fter the trial concluded- wanted to find out "ore a!out the law that allowed an unar"ed teenager to !e shot si"/ly !ecause an indi&idual clai"ed he feared for his life' !eca"e e&en "ore interested in this to/ic after a si"ilar case

in&ol&ing the shooting death of Jordan 1a&is and the atte"/ted "urder of three other young "en gained "edia attention' feel &ery /assionately a!out this to/ic !ecause it see"s that this law allows the citi2ens of this country to ta(e the law into their own hands- resulting in the (illing of our !lac( youth' a" enraged that- in !oth of these cases- the accused "en were a!le to clai" self*defense when all of the &icti"s were unar"ed' +his to/ic is one of /u!lic concern and is of /ersonal interest to "e !ecause a" the )unt of three young ne/hews- one of which is close to +ray&on Martin.s age' thin( this to/ic is deser&ing of its high /rofile status and ho/e that the attention directed

toward this law will lead to its scrutini2ation- a"end"ent- or a!olish"ent' ,hen this law was initially /assed- don.t !elie&e that law"a(ers en&isioned the ty/es of &iolence ha//ening

today' 3ather than acting in fear for one.s life- racial /rofiling has !eco"e a "a4or /layer in the #stand your ground$ law and its enforce"ent' +he "a4ority of what (now a!out the #stand your ground$ law ha&e learned fro" the e5tensi&e "edia co&erage surrounding the "ost recent and well*(nown trials' 6ecause "any of "y feelings on this su!4ect are dri&en !y e"otion- would li(e to research this to/ic to gain a !etter understanding of the law and its re/ercussions' My ho/e is that- in !etter understanding this issue- can hel/ "y ne/hews to understand it !etter as well' 7ow was this law enacted8 ,hat factors deter"ine whether a /erson is feeling threatened8 1oes this law encourage &igilantes8 9an this law !e "ade clearer so that it is less o/en to the inter/retation of any indi&idual8 ho/e that !eco"ing !etter infor"ed on this to/ic will !ring us one ste/ closer to finding a way to /re&ent this &iolence or to re*in&ent this law in a different ca/acity to a&oid the deaths of all /eo/le- !ut es/ecially young /eo/le'